Like You Do
by fancyjules
Summary: Matt snaps his head up from his plate. “Dating? Like boyfriend and girlfriend, holding hands, kissing dating?”  MattMohinder, M3 domesticity.


**Title:** Like You Do  
**Author:** hazelnutcoffee  
**Rating:** PG-13 (for themes)  
**Pairing/****Characters:** Matt/Mohinder, M3  
**Word Count:** 2754  
**Disclaimer: **Everything belongs to NBC, Kring, etc. I make absolutely no claims – I'm just playing.  
**Spoilers**: up to 2x06, just to be safe but no big ones after 2x04.  
**Summary:** Matt snaps his head up from his plate. "Dating? Like boyfriend and girlfriend, holding hands, _kissing_ dating?"  
**Author's Note**: a) Heroes wiki lists Molly's parents as James and Mrs. Walker so I arbitrarily picked a name for Molly's mother. b) I'm working on my pseudo sequel to Already In, with Mohinder's thoughts. I'm super swamped with work and college stuff but my muse is working overtime so hopefully I can finish that soonish. c) Another epic M3 story. I can not write simply Matt/Mohinder for the life of me -- this was originally just the second scene and AS ALWAYS wouldn't stop there. So here's 2500+ words that are, just like Mandy Moore said, sweet as candy (like sugar to my heart!). 

_Fathers, be good to your daughters, daughters will love like you do – Daughters, John Mayer_

Molly announces it at dinner.

"So," she says, flipping her long chestnut hair over one shoulder in an attempt at nonchalance. "Guess what happened to me today."

"You dropped your tray in the cafeteria and everyone laughed at you," guesses Matt.

"You aced your biology test because you have the best tutor," Mohinder says, pointing at himself.

"No," Molly points to Matt, "and I'm not sure yet," to Mohinder. "What actually happened was – ok. There's this tradition." Matt and Mohinder exchange amused glances. "At the beginning of the week, every guy football player gives a girl their home or away jersey, depending on where they're playing to wear at the game on Saturday. And last week, I got Max Grossman's. The quarterback."

"Congratulations," Matt offers his fist out for a bump with Molly.

Molly grins. "There's more – this week he gave it to me again. I thought at first it was because we're lab partners or whatever but Kelly talked to Max and he said no, it was because he _liked_ me and then today he asked me to sit with him during lunch and I, uh, I think we're dating now."

Matt snaps his head up from his plate. "Dating? Like boyfriend and girlfriend, holding hands, _kissing_ dating?"

"That's what dating is, Matt," Molly laughs, her eyes shining.

Matt opens his mouth to protest but Mohinder sends him a look that silences him. He smiles, "You sound very happy, Molly. Why don't you bring him to dinner on Sunday so we can meet him?"

--

That night, Matt wanders into their bedroom later than usual. Mohinder is in his flannel pajama pants and white undershirt, glasses on, reading some sort of complicated science journal. Matt flops stomach down on the bed, his head lulling somewhere around Mohinder's thigh. Mohinder absently reaches one hand down to play with Matt's hair.

"How was Conan?" he asks.

"Funny, as always. Molly left after the first commercial though. She got a _phone call_." Matt lifts his head from where it is smushed into the comfortable and looks at Mohinder, trying to explain the importance of this through his look. When Mohinder doesn't look up from his article, Matt elaborates, "From Max."

"Yes, sometimes people dating call each other at night when they are not near each other. I call you when I'm away." Mohinder looks over the edges of his glasses with a small smile.

"That's different. They just saw each other at school today. And will see each other tomorrow. What could they possibly have to say to each other?"

"I call you more than once a day sometimes," Mohinder points out.

Matt scoffs. "But most of the time, one of the calls is for phone sex." He sits up on the bed suddenly. "Oh god, you don't think they're having phone sex? Or real sex?"

Mohinder raises an eyebrow. "Molly is a sensible girl. We have an open and honest relationship with her. Do you really think she is being sexually promiscuous with the boy already, when tonight is the first night we have heard of him? I'm sure nothing inappropriate is occurring between them, either in person or in their phone call."

Matt nods slowly, considering Mohinder's words, and is silent. Mohinder gives Matt a once over. He puts down the magazine and reaches over to Matt. "Come on, those jeans cannot be comfortable. Let's get you out of them."

Matt stands. He kicks off his shoes and socks and shucks his jeans at Mohinder's words, leaving him in his t-shirt and boxers. Mohinder smiles predatorily and draws him closer, kissing his lips softly. "Mmm," Matt sighs against him and leans his body on top of Mohinder. Mohinder hooks a leg around Matt's body, closing the gap between them, and the bed springs squeak as they lower themselves on it. Mohinder slips a hand underneath his t-shirt, caressing the warm skin, and Matt's hand on his hip is moving in slow, sexy circles.

"It's just – I was a 16 year old boy once. I know what they want. They're horny and all they want is sex!"

"They're not the only ones," Mohinder groans and Matt pushes him off a little to look at Mohinder incredulously.

"Mohinder, aren't you concerned?"

"I am but I _trust_ Molly."

"I do too," Matt contests hotly. "It's this hornball Max Grossman that I don't. He's the kid that was trying to kiss her, way back in the third grade! He probably hasn't changed, just gotten more successful at his horndog ways."

"At least someone is succeeding," Mohinder sighs under his breath. "Matthew, he is coming over to dinner in a just a few short days. We will meet him then and if you still deem him inappropriate for Molly, we will talk to her. In the meantime, we have to just have faith in Molly that she knows what she is doing." Mohinder rubs his temple. This was not at all how he planned the evening to go.

There's a knock at the door. "Guys?" Molly calls. "Can I come in for a second?"

Matt rolls off Mohinder. "Sure thing sweetheart."

Molly steps into the room tentatively and takes in the slightly rumpled sheets. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Unfortunately not," Mohinder mumbles under Matt's overly cheery "Nope!"

"Well, I just got off the phone with Max and he's excited for dinner. He wanted to know if he could bring anything but I told him we had it all covered – that was OK, right?" Molly asks anxiously.

"Of course, Molly," Mohinder assures her. "Is there anything Max does not eat I should be aware of?"

"Not that I know of. Actually, Max and Matt would be good eating buddies."

"Oh, so he'll eat anything then?" Mohinder teases. Matt rolls his eyes, "Har har."

"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that and I also wanted to thank you guys for being so cool about the whole thing. I know the first boyfriend thing can be a little scary and some of the girls at school thought I'd be screwed because I have _two_ dads to be overly protective about boys but I knew I wouldn't have to worry with you guys." She crosses the room and gives both of them hugs.

"Night Molly," Matt calls out weakly as she closes the door.

Mohinder looks at him after Molly is gone. "Is this you being cool? I had no idea."

Matt launches himself at Mohinder. "I'll show you cool," he says, tugging at Mohinder's pants.

--

Max Grossman is Normal.

Normal like, second of four boys, children's author mother - bank manager father, athletic, reasonably handsome, impeccable manners, brown hair brown eyes several inches taller than Mohinder, no super power, no knowledge of super powers, completely polite Normal.

He shows no awkwardness towards Matt and Mohinder's flirty banter with each other. He eats seconds of Mohinder's meal with gusto. He responds to questions in full sentences and asks interesting questions of his own. He seems genuinely interested in Molly for Molly and not for any ulterior motive.

He's every parent's dream first boyfriend.

Matt starts reading his mind somewhere around dessert because there is no way this guy is so perfect. He tries for several minutes, when Molly isn't looking because she can always tell when he's mind reading and he still can't find anything out of the ordinary. Some _god, I hope that didn't sound stupid_ and other such commentary, a few stray Molly related such as _Molly looks really pretty tonight_ but nothing less G rated than that, and even an awed _Mohinder is really smart _or two. Bo-ring.

"Matthew," Mohinder hisses when Max excuses himself to go to the bathroom. Matt turns his eyes towards Mohinder guiltily. Molly watches the exchange and knows exactly what is going on.

"Daddy!" Molly shout-whispers. Matt knows it's bad because she hardly ever calls him Daddy. Something about it being too confusing since they'd never know which one she was calling. "You can't read his MIND!" she wails. "I **knew** you couldn't just let it be. I thought maybe there was an off chance you'd tell him you were a police officer and had a gun or that Mohinder would threaten he's a scientist and there would be no lab partner study time without him because all the other girls just have to worry about their dads saying something intimidating to their boyfriends. But no - I have to worry about one of mine _reading his mind_. That is so unfair!"

Max comes back at that moment. "What'd I miss?" he asks and they all turn false smiles at him.

When he leaves with firm handshakes to both Matt and Mohinder and a chaste kiss on the lips for Molly, Molly glares at Matt and slams the door to her room shut. "You're on your own with this one Matthew," Mohinder shakes his head and turns to clear the table.

Matt goes into the bathroom and takes two Advil. He has a massive headache.

--

Matt does much better with the next boyfriend. (Which is convenient because Molly _marries_ the next boyfriend.)

Max lasts just under a year, long enough for the puppy love to fade amicably and the friendship to remain. Molly stays single for a year or two, enjoys being an upperclassman, wins Homecoming Queen escorted by a friend and supported by her two dads, makes it to the State Finals in soccer but loses, saves the world a time or two, and makes a decision on college - all independently of a boyfriend.

Mohinder and Matt move Molly into her new dorm on a rainy August day. Micah Sanders is in a room down the hall.

Mohinder calls it fate and gives Niki a polite kiss on the cheek.

Matt calls it something different, with much more sarcasm, and gives Niki a curt nod.

Niki calls it her lucky day and just smiles big. (Matt rolls his eyes – she may be a single mother moving her son into college but the woman can lift more than he could. And, fine, he's never gotten over being thrown out the window by Jessica.)

Molly calls home every day and no one is surprised when she announces she's dating Micah. Not even Matt.

--

Christmas break comes quickly and Molly returns home, exhausted from her first ever college finals week and ready for ice skating at Rockefeller Center and all the other Christmas traditions the Walker-Parkman-Suresh family have invented over the years. The second night she's home, she wanders into Matt and Mohinder's bedroom.

She wears an old pair of Matt's boxers and a stolen t-shirt of Mohinder's to bed. She's a woman now, tall and athletic with big chocolate eyes that Matt still sees fear in sometimes. Molly's confident and mature and gorgeous – she's going to _be_ someone - but she'll always be Matt and Mohinder's little girl. And it warms Matt's heart to see her holding on to her two dads in some way, even if it's just ratty pajamas

"Hi pumpkin," Mohinder says when he notices Molly loitering around the doorway. He's in his usual pajamas and glasses, doing research on his laptop. Matt just got home from work but he's already in sweatpants and his undershirt, hanging his police uniform up in the closet.

Molly's timid, something she's never been before. Matt sits on the bed next to Mohinder, who puts his laptop down, sensing this is a Serious Conversation. Matt unconsciously puts his arm around the other man, drawing him in, and Mohinder shifts until he is nestled against Matt's chest, lulled by the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

Their hands are entwined on Mohinder's lap.

Molly finally enters and sits at the end of the bed, fingers playing with the sheets. Her long chestnut hair is up in a ponytail and she's wearing her glasses (she got them when she was 13 but its contacts most of the time), giving her the appearance of someone far younger than her 19 years.

"When did you know you were in love?" she asks after a few minutes and Mohinder feels Matt deflate with a rush of air.

"Oh thank god," Matt sighs. "I thought you were going to tell us you were pregnant."

"Daddy!" Molly blushes. "No. Not possible."

Mohinder notes the phrasing of her answer with relief – he worries too, it's a father's _duty_, he's just more subtle about it than Matt – and steers the conversation back on topic. "When did I know I was in love with Matthew?" Molly nods. "You've put me on the spot here Molly," he muses. "I have to think a minute."

"I know," Matt says quietly, thumb stroking Mohinder's hand. "It was just after you had gotten better from my father's attack and come home from the Company. It was time to switch shifts at work and I got put on midnights. I was really concerned because that meant I'd miss you sleeping and was terrified that your nightmares would return and I wouldn't be there. And the first night, well morning really, I came home and checked on you and went to go change out of my uniform. And when I came back out to the living room to lock up my gun, Mohinder was up, making me something to eat, even though it was absurdly early and he could have been sleeping. And I stood in the kitchen for a moment and watched him, all rumpled and sleeping, cook me something _just because_ – and I knew." He shrugs sheepishly.

Mohinder turns his head to look at Matt. "Really?" he asks softly.

Matt's embarrassed but he looks Mohinder in the eyes. "Absolutely."

Mohinder gives him a tender kiss before turning turns back to Molly. "I'm not sure I had a definitive moment. There are a lot of little things that just added up. How dedicated he is to his work and how proud he is of you and how protective he is about keeping everyone safe. The way he can't sleep without playing at least one game of solitaire on the computer and can't wake up without at least one cup of coffee. The way I feel in his arms and how I can't wait to come home at the end of the day to be with him. Eventually, I just knew."

Molly grins. "You guys are so cute," she sighs.

"Cute? We are not cute." Matt narrows his eyes.

"I think we might be Matthew," Mohinder admits, kissing Matt's open palm.

Molly worries her lip. "Ok, thanks guys," she says distractedly and gives them both extra long hugs goodnight.

When she closes the door, Mohinder twists his body so he is half lying on Matt and half off. Matt says what he is thinking: "I think our little girl is in love."

--

It's a few years later, but it's another rainy August day when Molly and Micah get married.

Matt, Mohinder, and Niki sit in the front row and each of them cries unapologetically during the ceremony. At the reception, there are two father-daughter dances with identical whispered _I love you_s at the end. Afterwards, Matt spends most of the reception feeling as if his heart is going to burst and is so distracted, he lets Niki drag him onto the floor for a dance.

"I am so glad I don't like women anymore," he says to Mohinder after Niki releases him. He's out of breath and looks like he's been through a wind tunnel. "I think they'd be the death of me."

"They can have that effect. Especially that one." Mohinder nods at Niki, who salutes them with her champagne flute in return. Matt possessively hooks his arm through Mohinder's and leans his head on his shoulder.

"Molly looks beautiful," Matt whispers after a while, almost in awe.

"And happy," Mohinder adds, just as softly.

--

14 months, two weeks, and five days later, Erin Jessica Sanders is born. Named for her dead grandmother and great aunt, she's feisty from the very beginning. Molly's pink with exhaustion and Micah can't stop grinning.

Aside from being incredibly happy and excited, Matt's relieved Molly and Micah didn't add another 'M' name to the family and Mohinder is curious when the child will begin manifesting it's powers – because with two parents and four biological grandparents with powers, it's inevitable.

They argue about who will be called Grandpa as they stare through the glass at their granddaughter.


End file.
